Basal body temperature (“BBT”) charting has been a popular method for natural family planning and ovulation prediction for the last 40 years. Currently there are many applications, for example smart phone Applications that use technology to collect and aggregate this BBT data. The information gleaned from temperature changes across the menstrual cycle can highlight a surge in luteinizing hormone (LH) which is an early predictor of ovulation. This data is limited in its usefulness because it can only predict ovulation, but there are many other aspects of the BBT that can be useful in highlighting other important subclinical factors that can impact a woman's ability to conceive. Conventional thinking assumes that if the BBT chart is biphasic and has a 1-3 tenth of a temperature drop at ovulation, the chart is considered normal. Additionally, these applications largely ignore menstrual parameters as measures to indicate subclinical indicators of a sub-fertile state. Absent was a method for a woman to use technology to collect, aggregate and assess BBT info and essential menstrual parameters as indicators of overall fertility or fertility potential.
Some existing applications have attempted to improve the accuracy of ovulation prediction by adding BBT charting to the collection of other symptoms like cervical discharge, cervical height and mood.
These solutions still fail to utilize important and highly relevant BBT and menstrual cycle data that can be used to reveal underlying fertility issues. Identifying the exact timing of ovulation is very useful for women who are fertile, but who do not know when to have intercourse. But for women who have identified clinical or subclinical fertility issues, this data is insufficient to be a resource for improving their fertility.
Thus there is a need for alternative strategies and regimes to increase fertility by moving a user's personalized fertility state toward an ideal fertility state.